ATLAS Event Experience Research Project (original) (raw)
Related papers
Experiences are becoming increasingly important in events and festivals, which are prime manifestations of the experience economy. However, research on event experiences has generally been concerned with economic impacts and visitor motivations (Gursoy, Kim, & Uysal, 2004). Few studies have attempted to operationalize and quantitatively analyze experiences, and there is no consensual definition regarding the essence of experiences (Walls, Okumus, Wang, & Kwun, 2011). This article develops an Event Experience Scale (EES), for event experiences. In this exploratory study the item generation and selection for this scale are presented in three phases: specifying the domain of construct and generation of items, item selection, and scale purification. An 18-item scale, comprised of 4 dimensions: affective engagement, cognitive engagement, physical engagement and experiencing newness, with satisfactory values for Cronbach’s alphas (.83, .86, .86, and .87), emerged. Implications for theoretical and practical research are discussed.
Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events , 2019
This paper applies the Event Experiences Scale (EES) to seven cultural events in different countries with the aim of identifying generic dimensions of event experience. Exploratory factor analysis indicated the presence of four experience dimensions: cognitive engagement, affective engagement, physical engagement and novelty. These broadly reflect the four dimensions found in the original EES study [de Geus, S., Richards, G., & Toepoel, V. (2016). Conceptualisation and operationalisation of event and festival experiences: Creation of an event experience scale. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 16(3), 274–296]. In the cultural events analysed here, the cognitive dimension is strongest, followed by affective engagement, novelty and finally physical engagement. The experience dimensions are shown to vary significantly between visitor groups (particularly in terms of age) and by event location or context. Analysis of social media use shows that experiences also vary significantly through the stages of the ‘event journey’, with affective engagement being particularly prominent during and after the event.
Event experiences: measurement and meaning
Journal of Policy Reserch in Tourism, Leisure and Events, 2020
This paper provides an introduction to Special Issue on ‘Event Experiences: Measurement and Meaning’. It reviews the research conducted by the ATLAS Event Group over the past decade, and highlights the interplay between qualititative and quantitative research on events during this period. Major research themes related to the event experience are analysed, including the social dimension of events, event design, visitor engagement, eventful cities and event networks and platforms. The different quantative and qualitative contributions to the issue are introduced and compared.
Visitor engagement in events: Evidence from the ATLAS Event Monitoring Project
Increased interest in events is reflected in the explosive growth in event related research worldwide. Much of this research concentrates on different aspects of the visitor experience of events, such as satisfaction, perceptions of service quality and intention to return. However, much of this research is conducted on an ad-hoc, single event basis. Relatively little comparative research on different events has yet be conducted. In order to increase the comparative dimension of event research the ATLAS Event Monitoring research project was established in 2012. Using a standard base questionnaire, the survey is designed to generate comparable information on visitor experience from a range of different events. This paper reports on the initial findings of the project, covering a range of different events from Portugal and Finland. A range of different dimensions of the visitor experience are analysed, including the degree of participation, the generation of emotional energy (Collins, 2004), experiencing novelty and social cohesion. These initial results indicate that there are considerable differences in participant engagement according to the type and location of event. The paper discusses the main factors affecting involvement and the ways in which event organisers can increase levels of engagement.
Event Experience Research Directions
A Research Agenda for Event Management, 2019
This chapter reviews the field of event experience research, identifying major trends and setting out research directions for the future. Experiences are often viewed as the core of events and are therefore a key concern for event management and design. Much research has therefore focussed on the way in which experiences are produced and consumed within events, which are often viewed as special setting outside of everyday life. Recent research has extended to the complete visitor journey, considering what happens before and after the event as well. Future directions for event experience research suggested here include the development of improved measurement tools, examining the linkages between different elements of the event experience, the co-creation of value through event experiences, the development of 'event careers' among visitors and the application of new technologies to event experience research.
A measurement model of visitor's event experience within festivals and special events.
Festivals and special events are unique experiential products that able to produce ranges of sensations, imaginations, emotions and involvement within visitors. Hence, event organization are suggested to change their view events using a much more contemporary approach based on experiential concept. Moreover, an evaluation approach based on the experiential concept is useful for the event organization to measure achievement or effectiveness of the outcome of their events and further understand the nature of visitor experiences within festival and special event settings. The objective of the paper is to present a measurement model of visitor's event experience that might be valuable to measure the total outcome of the event from viewpoint of the visitors' personal event experiences. Five dimensions (or realms) of experiences namely, entertainment, educational, esthetic (sic), escapist, and festivity were suggested to engage visitors at events. Each realm is posited to intermingle with each other to form a visitor's unique, memorable and desirable personal event experience onsite of events.
Greg Richards - Visitor engagement in events.docx
Increased interest in events is reflected in the explosive growth in event related research worldwide. Much of this research concentrates on different aspects of the visitor experience of events, such as satisfaction, perceptions of service quality and intention to return. However, much of this research is conducted on an ad-hoc, single event basis. Relatively little comparative research on different events has yet be conducted. In order to increase the comparative dimension of event research the ATLAS Event Monitoring research project was established in 2012. Using a standard base questionnaire, the survey is designed to generate comparable information on visitor experience from a range of different events. This paper reports on the initial findings of the project, covering a range of different events from Portugal and Finland. A range of different dimensions of the visitor experience are analysed, including the degree of participation, the generation of emotional energy (Collins, 2004), experiencing novelty and social cohesion. These initial results indicate that there are considerable differences in participant engagement according to the type and location of event. The paper discusses the main factors affecting involvement and the ways in which event organisers can increase levels of engagement.
Event experiences : design, management and impact
2015
The papers submitted for this PhD by publication represent research centered on event experiences and their design, management and impact. They are the result of research projects that have produced seven published peer-reviewed papers and one book. The body of work has made an original, significant and sustained contribution towards the development of an emerging field of study in events. The work has made a major contribution towards furthering understanding of the human experience that results from the management of events, their design and their impact. At the heart of this submission is a consideration for how events are experienced and what factors and components contribute to the depth of that experience. The majority of papers analyses and reflects upon the construction of experience settings (their design) and essentially seeks knowledge to identify the variables that shape any experience of events (Ryan, 2012). In doing so the research undertaken has embraced a less restri...
EXAMINING VISITORS' EVENT EXPERIENCE AT FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS: PROPOSED FRAMEWORK
Festivals and special event has becoming an important feature in a tourist destination’s general tourism development and marketing plan. Many have realized the important benefits of staging festivals and special events. Nonetheless, events require special consideration conceptualizing and understanding the event outcome based on experiential perspective. Only from the experiential view, the event researchers and organizer are able to grab the holistic view of event outcome created by a festival or special event. Hence, this study attempts to take a step towards an improved understanding and examination on the broader picture created by the festivals and special events by considering the experiential approach. Moreover, the framework strives to not only focusing on the physical products and services but also take account of emotional and value aspects, and affects of social interactions which might be very important aspects in a celebration of a festival or special event. The primary objective of this paper is to present a conceptual framework based on experiential paradigm that able to systematically assess visitors’ personal event experiences in context of festival or special event. Specifically, the framework enables examination of relationships of several important variables in event settings namely, event features, social interactions, visitor’s event experience, visitor’s overall satisfaction, future intentions, and level of experience.